QUEZON City, Philippines (Eagle News) — Bagong Henerasyon party-list Representative Bernadette-Herrera Dy urged fellow lawmakers in the House of Representatives to act on her proposal to make all kinds of hazing illegal.
Herrera Dy, who is also chair of the information committee, made the statement following the death of Horacio Castillo III, a first-year law student at the University of Sto. Tomas, allegedly due to hazing.
Castillo’s body–which bore candle and cigarette marks, and bruises—was allegedly dumped on a sidewalk in Tondo, Manila, over the weekend.
Under House Bill No. 3467, Herrera-Dy proposes a total ban on hazing and the infliction of hardship, whether physical or psychological, to aspiring members of a fraternity or sorority.
The current Anti-Hazing Law only regulates initiation rites, but prohibits the infliction of physical harm and violence against applicants.
To ensure that there will be no “secret initiation,” under Herrera Dy’s proposal, the fraternity or sorority must notify school authorities about their upcoming initiation activity.
The school must then send two representatives to witness the initiation process.
“The school representative is duty-bound to make sure no harm is inflicted upon the recruit, neophyte or applicant,” Herrera-Dy said.
Under the proposal, fraternities and sororities cannot use the given consent by an applicant to undergo the initiation process as a defense should something unwanted arise.